Project Manager

One of the priorities for us at The Circle is to ensure that the millions of women working in the garment industry receive a living wage.

We began this work by publishing, in May 2017, a report that sets out the argument that a living wage is a fundamental right. We’ve also created a strategy to guide our work in this area that has the following three key objectives –

1) Continue a gear shift in the debate on the living wage that will engage key stakeholders with tangible alternatives to the status quo.

2) Formulate and test a new legal directive that will oblige garments/fashion companies to pay a living wage in the countries they source from.

3) Create a race to the top in which companies compete to demonstrate best practice in complying with the law

We’re now looking for a Project Manager to work with our Living Wage steering group that includes Livia Firth. Jessica Simor QC, Antonella Centra and our Executive Director Sioned Jones to implement and co-ordinate this strategy

The post holder will co-ordinate and build our relationships with a broader group of allies and partners and liaise with them to ensure we remain cohesive and empathetic to each others work in regards to a living wage.

The post is initially a consultancy contract for 1 to 2 days a week over a 3-6 month period (the days and timelines are flexible to suit the individual and to meet our budget). There is a desire to seek longer term funding and the post-holder will also assist, with Sioned, in seeking out and securing this funding. Should we be successful we would wish the project manager role to continue beyond this pilot phase.

We’re ideally looking for some with experience of working in this area or at the very least enormous passion and knowledge about ending the issues facing women working in the fast fashion industry. Experience of policy making and long term advocacy would be useful in the role alongside managing a similar type of project. The person must be self motivated as it will be a home based role with some travel to London working within a small team. Organised with good communications skills the post holder must be confident working with a range of individuals including those at a very senior and influential level. From our work to date we know this post holder will need to be tenacious and have the commitment and ability to keep things on course and take new opportunities when they may arise with short notice.

To find out more email hello@thecircle.ngo or to apply send your CV and covering letter to the same email address giving an indication of your availability and daily rate. Applications will be considered as they are submitted and we will appoint as soon as a suitable candidate is found.

This month we are opening up our blog to our members. Rosie writes about her feminist New Year’s resolutions for the coming year!

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I think that reading about feminism is the best way to become a better Global Feminist. It allows you to understand the viewpoints of other women from around the world and is also a great way to keep up to date on current discussions surrounding contemporary women’s rights. On my reading list for this year are ‘Feminists Don’t Wear Pink and Other Lies’ by Scarlett Curtis, ‘Why We Should All Be Feminists’ by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie‎, ‘I am Malala’ Malala Yousafzai and ‘Eve Was Shamed’ by Helena Kennedy. I think that is an important gateway into the experiences of women from different cultures and backgrounds to my own. I believe that these different perspectives further encourage me to become a truly Global Feminist. These texts are written by women who write from a number of different viewpoints, either having experienced different modes sexism or misogyny themselves, or their professions such as journalists have led them to discover the stories of women who may not have the platform to share their own experiences.

Ensure that my feminism is intersectional

All sexism and misogyny is deplorable and all women’s experiences matter. I recognize that my experience does not reflect the whole spectrum of oppression faced by women around the world and I want to be an ally for all women. For those experiencing forced marriage or FGM, for the women that have been trafficked for sex or have been failed by the law after suffering rape or sexual assault, those who are unable to access a safe and legal abortion, and others who have to give birth in dangerous conditions. It is for these women that I vow to support. Global Feminism is about all women coming together and sharing cultures and experience, it encourages us to understand inequalities and oppression on a global scale.

Put my money where my mouth is

I love clothes and I love fashion, but I also plan to find out more about the inequalities rife within the garment sector. I know that 80% of garment workers are women and that they often work in unsafe conditions for long hours with little pay and fewer labour laws. This also puts them at risk of sexual harassment from their bosses and in a lot of instances maternity leave is limited to non-existent. This year, I really want to make sure as many of my clothes as possible are made in an ethical way, even if this means buying less. I will commit to learning more about sweatshop free brands to make sure my purchasing decisions don’t enslave the women making my clothes.

Educate friends and family

This year, I want to educate my friends and family about Global Feminism at every chance I get. I find that many men don’t engage in feminism and are not always aware of their privilege. This mindset also applies to women who are purely interested in Western feminism, to those who will happily wear a ‘Girl Power’ shirt without considering the plight of the woman who made it. Taking the opportunity to talk to these men and women in your life is an opportunity to communicate the values Global Feminism and some of the shocking statistics that quantify the level of inequality across the globe. Speaking to friends and family is also a good way of communicating an accurate definition of feminism and what that entails. I know men who admit that they were hesitant to support the feminist cause because they believed that the movement was rooted in a hatred of men. This year I want to spread the word by inviting my friends to watch feminist films, lending them books and recommending podcasts.

Empower other women

Every day I want to try and take little actions that help other women. This means that I won’t wait until the next big protest or social media hashtag to assert my feminism, but I will support women at every chance I get. I resolve to make space for my female colleagues to speak in work meetings, to back up their ideas and to make sure they get the credit. I will help women who are being harassed in a bar or on the street and call out sexist comments. I already call out everyday sexism in my social circle, but 2019 will be the year that I take this further – to work, to the street and online.

Network with like-minded women

In 2019, I want to connect more with other global feminists. I have a bit of a fear of networking situations, so I also want to take every opportunity to get out of my comfort zone. I also believe that I could learn a lot from the perspectives of others, which in turn will make me a better feminist. Types of networking I would love to take part in includes charity events, social media, feminist book clubs and debates. I would also like to volunteer with charities that support women globally so I can learn more about how I can help other women.

Be kinder to all my sisters

The world is harsh enough on women already so we should all be making the effort to empower each other. We need to support one another to make real change. We don’t need to be complicit in unrealistic beauty standards by judging each other on what we wear or how much we weigh. Nor should we be shaming other women for their sexuality, career or lifestyle choices. Stick up for your sisters in 2019!

“We are often led to believe that there is only space and resources for a few of us and that whatever other women get will be taken from us”

This month, as part of Widen Your Circle, we have spoken to a number of our members about their involvement with The Circle and what it means to be a member!

Laura is a set and costume designer with a background in fashion. The inequalities present in the fashion industry are incredibly important to her and she is currently trying to engage more people in the complex matters that surround it.

Why did you decide to become a member?

I had heard about the work of The Lawyers Circle on the Living Wage Report and I was interested in the organization, but what really made up my mind was finding myself at an event in this room full of women who had come together because they wanted to help change things. I left full of inspiration, motivation and energy.

What does The Circle mantra “women empowering women” means to you?

For me, it’s a reminder that we should always try to be other women’s first supporters. We are often led to believe that there is only space and resources for a few of us and that whatever other women get will be taken from us. However, I am convinced that helping others succeed also facilitates our own achievements.

What impact has The Circle had on your life?

It has allowed me to meet women with innovative and exciting ideas that I may have never have done. It has given me a chance to connect with women who work in different industries from mine, have different connections and with whom I have been able to start projects that are important to me. At The Circle I have found a great community that has helped me to become a more active citizen.

Can you tell us what project is important to you and your circle and why?

The Fashion Circle is reshaping at the moment, which I guess is a great opportunity to start exciting new projects. The issue of a Living Wage in the Fashion industry is still very important to me. This is why I organised a Chai Day in December with another member, Lydia, in which we talked about the idea of the Living wage and the difference it could make in the life of female garment workers. We encouraged our guests to be curious, to ask questions about the issues of the fashion industry, and to act to change them.

We must support and empower each other, otherwise we will constantly be fighting against a system that is designed for us to fail

This month, as part of Widen Your Circle, we have spoken to a number of our members about their involvement with The Circle and what it means to be a member!

Mabel is a documentary film maker who also co-founded The Vavengers, a charity that holds music and poetry nights, exhibitions and plays to raise money for the survivors of Female Genital Mutilation and the clinics and organisations that they run. In 2015 they launched the UK’s first ever anti-FGM billboards. They are now working to engage the creative community to raise awareness and funds, improve data collection and ultimately stop women and girls being cut.

Why did you decide to become a member?

I decided to become a member of The Circle because I don’t think we as Western women take enough time to consider the experience of women globally. Often, we inhabit our own bubble and assume that most women enjoy the privileges we have. The Circle is actively trying to tackle this by supporting grassroots projects globally. That is why I want to be a member.

What does The Circle’s mantra of #WomenEmpoweringWomen mean to you?

The mantra Women Empowering Women is at the core of my belief system with regards to tackling gender-based violence. We must support and empower each other, otherwise we will constantly be fighting against a system that is designed for us to fail. It’s the women who have infiltrated this system that have the chance to empower those who have been stripped of their voices.

What impact has The Circle had on your life?

The Circle has given me a lot of insight into areas of inequality that I rather embarrassingly had not considered, for example, fast fashion. Attending The Circle events has really opened my eyes to the problems around fast fashion. The events have been a source of both information and inspiration. I have also connected with many exceptional like-minded women at these events.

Photo credit: Fluid4Sight. Katie with singer Gill Manly at their Chai Day event in November

Women have an amazing capacity to forge immensely nourishing, deep, powerful bonds with each other – and when we harness that it becomes a force for change.

This month, as part of Widen Your Circle, we have spoken to a number of our members about their involvement with The Circle and what it means to be a member!

Katie Rose is a new member of The Circle who has already been involved in our Chai Day fundraising initiative. Katie is a musician who is a ‘daily witness the profound wellbeing benefits of singing in my work. Working with choirs has taught me that we can join our diverse voices together to create a beauty, peace and strength that can change the world’. She leads choirs in community settings including hospitals, hospices, carers centres and co-directs Sing for Water, an annual mass choral fundraiser for WaterAid at Totally Thames.

Why did you decide to become a member of The Circle?
I joined after hearing Annie’s inspiring speech at the Women’s Day March 2018

What does The Circle’s mantra of #WomenEmpoweringWomen mean to you?
Ultimately it means busting through the patriarchal conditioning that oppresses and divides women. Women have an amazing capacity to forge immensely nourishing, deep, powerful bonds with each other – and when we harness that it becomes a force for change. I am continually uplifted, inspired and moved by my exchanges, discussions, friendships and collaborations with women. Cherishing these individual bonds and widening them out to include and collaborate with other women is what we do naturally, when we have space to flourish – so the image of the ever-widening circle is so resonant and for me represents how we can build a non-hierarchical, mutually supportive movement. We can each bring whatever platform, voice, influence, gifts, talents or resources we have available to support the cause of women worldwide – even just a tiny drop of rain can create a ripple in the ocean. I want to help smash the glass ceilings of my generation to create freedom for the girls and women of the future.

What impact has The Circle had on your life?
It is that sense of not being alone, of being connected to a wider movement. I was brought up by a feminist and will remain a feminist until women no longer face oppression. It is so good to be amongst strong, talented, inspiring women who have their own understanding of what being a feminist means and to stand in solidarity, honouring our unique perspectives and the diversity of the needs and issues facing women around the world.

Can you tell us about what project is important to you and your circle, and why?
I’m quite new to The Circle so am still finding out about all the projects and circles. As a singer, I am committed to creating arts events that contribute to raising funds and awareness with leading female artists in my community – we hosted a Chai Day in November and hope to run a Women’s Day event in March.

“I have always been aware that we need to think about intersectionality when we discuss the issues that women face, but The Circle has really challenged me to have that conversation with other people and, perhaps most importantly, challenged me to have that conversation with myself”

This month, as part of Widen Your Circle, we have spoken to a number of our members about their involvement with The Circle and what it means to be a member!

Jodie Nevin is a member of The Lawyer’s Circle, that are currently working on a strategy to allow those within The Circle to be able to undertake more pro bono work. Jodie describes herself as ‘incredibly privileged’ to be a lawyer as she is able to provide free legal advice and representation which is often the only means of obtaining access to justice for those who are unable to pay and are not eligible for public funding. She states that The Lawyers Circle believes that access to legal advice should not be the privilege of the most advantaged in society, and that ‘we are excited to utilise our collective knowledge to provide even more free legal advice to disempowered women and girls across the globe.’

Why did you decide to become a member of The Circle?

I’ve always enjoyed being an active member of groups that aim to promote – and protect – the rights of women, but I felt as though I wanted to join a group that had a more global outlook. I loved the idea that you have this incredible force of women in The Circle, but to make it work you have pockets of passionate women in the smaller Circles who are given the opportunity to work with like-minded individuals to create something effective and meaningful.

What does The Circle’s mantra of #WomenEmpoweringWomen mean to you?

It’s interesting because sometimes you look back at moments in your life and you are able to identify experiences that have shaped who you are as a person. I have absolutely no doubt that the reason I feel so passionate about #WomenEmpoweringWomen is because I was lucky enough to have an absolute powerhouse of a friend at an early age – a friend who supported me, acted as my biggest cheerleader and empowered me to be the person I am today. Without knowing it, we had created our own circle of sisterhood, and that circle protected us from whatever the world was throwing at us. She empowers me, and I empower her – and because of that, we are able to empower others.

For me, #WomenEmpoweringWomen means striving to ensure that every woman experiences that incredible power of sisterhood.

What impact has The Circle had on your life?

It has encouraged me to think about feminism globally. I have always been aware that we need to think about intersectionality when we discuss the issues that women face, but The Circle has really challenged me to have that conversation with other people and, perhaps most importantly, challenged me to have that conversation with myself.

Recently, our cultural consciousness has become suffused with stories of sexual violence – women’s stories that span decades. Finally, we are listening and believing. Yet, largely careless and titillating depictions of rape and sexual violence continue to dominate — ELLE, Nocturnal Animals, Gone Girl… Unvictiming interrogates how we should (re)present sexual violence.
Bringing together largely overlooked short films on the subject, Another Gaze: A Feminist Film Journal has selected a five decades-spanning series of short films on this subject as seen by women filmmakers. From Mendieta to Campion, this selection of work will be presented in context with a post-screening discussion

Join us for Jumble Fever on Saturday 19th January from 11am-3pm on the Mezzanine at The Tap Social, Oxford. Come along for vintage clothes, a bric a brac rummage, books, records, jewellery, dancing and more!

There will also be lunch available from Waste2TasteOx! £2 entry or free with a bag of donations! See you there!

Clothes swapping is the perfect way to revamp your wardrobe without spending a penny and helping to reduce some of the £140 million worth of clothing going into landfill every year. This is a brilliant way to keep fashion sustainable and get rid of those unworn clothes and fill your wardrobe with pre-loved goodies!

The event is keen to highlight the human rights abuses and exploitation of the environment which go into the mass production of clothes by the fashion industry. What a great sustainable alternative to disposable fashion, particularly as it falls during the January sale.

Fed up with the status quo?
What issues do you really care about?
How can you influence and support the people around you?

Come along to The Parliament Project’s next London workshop designed for young women to demystify the process of getting politically involved. Connect with other London based women as together we explore how women can best prepare for roles in politics, whether you’re involved in a political party or not.

By understanding the stages involved in getting elected; from choosing and joining a party, becoming an activist, through to selection and election, we hope to provide you with all the information you need to forge your own path in politics. You’ll hear from those who have chosen a political pathway for themselves, answer your questions, and direct you to the support you need to get started.

Join us at the May Fair Hotel on 23rd January for the UK screening of A Private War.

This film starring Rosamund Pike follows the incredible life of renowned journalist Marie Colvin, for which Annie Lennox has written and recorded the theme Requiem for A Private War. Oscar-nominated Heineman has created a devastating portrait of a complex, brilliant woman. In every scene, Pike fiercely inhabits Colvin who sacrificed her own safety and happiness to bear witness to the very human cost of armed conflict: ‘the people who have no voice’.

Following the success of the ‘Decolonising Contraception’ Event in Black History Month, we have decided to start a series around the topic!

The first of our four part series is surrounding the role that men play in the movement.

Panellists will be announced shortly!

DecolonisingContraception or Decolonise Contraception is a movement that aims to promote discussion related to the ways in which some sexual and reproductive health (SRH) practices have developed from unethical medical research, often on previously colonised populations. This movement intends to provide spaces to discuss how these issues still affect our practice today. Decolonizing Contraception aims to understand the colonial history of contraception, discuss modern contraceptive methods, and start new conversations about reproductive justice. We aim to empower those that seek contraception and other sexual health services to strive for reproductive justice, even if that means having difficult and awkward conversations.

There has always been a wing of feminism that looks to psychoanalysis for an elucidation of the problem of the difference between the sexes and of the problem of sexuality generally. While, at the same time, there has always been an opposing wing that roundly criticizes the theories that have been forthcoming – from male analysts such as Freud and Lacan – as ‘repressive’ towards women and deeply patriarchal. This situation has been modified, but not resolved, by the powerful intellectual contribution of female analysts such as Klein and Kristeva.

This day will be split into three sessions, each designed to provide an insight into the intersection between psychoanalysis and feminist thought.

Too often in media, on stage and online the experiences of Muslim women are absent, rarely do we see or hear Muslim women leading debate; whether that is a discussion on their lived experiences of racism, Islamophobia or sexism, or an area of their expertise; law, business, politics, education, health, to name but a few.

This workshop is to support Muslim women to be leading voices by providing training on dealing with media and public speaking. The half day free training will be delivered by Talat Yaqoob and will be interactive and give women confidence and skills in sharing their views and telling their stories.

The turbulent future that democratic elections anticipate all over the world seems rather bleak. The extreme right is capitalizing on the fear of permanently unstable conditions by making the other, the most vulnerable of us, responsible. Meanwhile, feminism and its intersections open the doors to alternative futures of dialogue with and respect for us all.

Celebrating the legacies of feminist science fiction writers Octavia E. Butler and Ursula K. Le Guin, thinkers from different disciplines will speak about these writers’ influence on their work in current or previous turbulent times.

Waterstones Gower Street and The Circle invite you to attend a new series of book talks inspired by The Circle Founder Annie Lennox’s campaign to promote Global Feminism, encouraging everyone to further understand the inequality around the world for the most disempowered and marginalised women and girls.

The first session will look at the need to protect and ensure the rights of women in the Fashion Industry. In conversation are Safia Minney and Tansy Hoskins, two exceptional women and authors who, through their work, are shining a light on the impact of the fast fashion industry and the need to end modern day slavery for the millions of women working in it.

Tickets are £10 / £8 (students and The Circle members) and include a glass of wine or soft drink

Join The Vavengers and The Royal College of Midwives for lunch and performances to mark this day.

This event aims to inspire a sense collaboration and of all of us working together, not only in supporting policies and initiatives in the UK, but supporting & cheering on grassroots activists/organizations in countries where FGM is practiced. Supported by The Dahlia Project, Forward, Midaye and Orchid Project.

Fast- Forward feminism; Resist, Reimagine, Rebuild is a two day student- led festival, that encourages critique and speculation of a discriminatory education system that does not represent us!

Bringing together artists, academics and grassroots activist, we will create a space that facilitates collective thinking, discussion and direct action to resist the current ‘neo-colonial white supremacist capitalist patriarchy.’ [bell hooks]

City of Joy, directed by first-time director Madeleine Gavin, follows the first class of women at a revolutionary leadership center in eastern Congo called City of Joy, from which the film derives its title, and weaves their journey as burgeoning leaders with that of the center’s founders (a devout Congolese doctor Dr. Denis Mukwege (2018 Nobel Peace Prize winner), women’s rights activist Christine Schuler-Deschryver (Director of City of Joy and V-Day Congo) and radical feminist Eve Ensler (author of The Vagina Monologues and Founder of V-Day/One Billion Rising) – three individuals who imagined a place where women who have suffered horrific rape and abuse can heal and become powerful voices of change for their country.

A story about the profound resilience of the human spirit, CITY OF JOY witnesses Congolese women’s fierce will to reclaim hope, even when so much of what was meaningful to them has been stripped away.

This screening will also be happening the following night in Oakland. In Oakland, immediately following the screening, audience members will be invited to RISE and participate in the One Billion Rising “Break the Chain” dance, as well as a Q&A with City of Joy Co-Founders Christine and Eve and She The People Founder Aimee Allison. Reflecting Bay Area Rising’s intersection of art, spirituality, and activism, the event will feature local dance, and music, including a drum procession led by Afia Walking Tree and performances by the Destiny Arts Youth Performance Company.This film is certainly not to be missed!

Stacey Dooley has firmly established herself as one of BBC3’s most celebrated presenters through her hugely popular investigative series, covering a wide-range of topics from sex trafficking in Cambodia, to Yazidi women fighting back in Syria.

At the core of her reporting are incredible women in extraordinary and scarily ordinary circumstances – from sex workers in Russia, to victims of domestic violence in Honduras. In her first book, On the Front Line with the Women Who Fight Back, Stacey draws on her encounters with these brave and wonderful women, using their experiences as a vehicle to explore issues at the centre of female experience.

This February, join Stacey as she celebrates the paperback publication of her bestselling debut. In this rare live appearance, Stacey talks about her remarkable career so far, and explores the themes of her book, discussing everything from gender equality, to sex trafficking and sexual identity, weaving these global strands together in an exploration of what it is to be women in the world today.

Unfortunately, this event has now sold out, however, you may still be able to find tickets online.